Refrigerator



May 15, 1928. 1,669,637

c. w. VOLLMANN REFRIGERATOR Filed June 30. 1926 FIG] I I CARL RNENTOR ATTO RNEY Y in.

Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED STATES CARL W. VOLLMAN'N, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

nnrnrennaroa.

Application filed June 30,

My invention has particular reference to refrigerators for automatic use such as is met in private dwellings, apartment houses, hotels and other places where individuals orfamilies require perishables to be preserved and special foods or water to be frozen for articular purposes. Heretofore no prov1s1on has been made of ,a relatively large freezing chamber contained within a freezing member which in addition will reduce the temperature in the refrigerator for the purpose of chilling the atmosphere therein for preservation purposes and where a uniform temerature will be constantly maintained. It

as been attempted to meet this requirement by employing brine containers which owlng to thelarge amount of brine necessary seriously reduces the capacity of the refrigerating chamber and at the same time restricts the freezing chamber to such an extent that it affords small room for use in the freezing of puddings, blocks of ice and the like. It

has also been proposed to obtain the result by the use of relatively large freezing liquid containers in the form of coils or sections.

The object of my invention is to meet this requirement and to this end the invention consists of a container having a hollow wall completely encircling the same and presenting a narrow space between its double walls. This produces a closed space through which the freezing liquid circulates, means being provided to introduce a freezing liquid into the bottom of this narrow space and an outlet being provided at the top through which the gas resulting from the expansion of the freezing liquid is returned to the compressor. This construction provides a relatively large cupboard within the freezing member, the inner wall of which is provided with series of rests of different levels for shelves upon which dishes containing the several substances to be frozen may be placed. This enclosing space is preferably composed of elliptic pipe-lengths of different diameters, one set within the other and the space between them is closed at both ends while the chamber enclosed is closed at the back end by a permanent wall while the front end has a cover which is normally closed and adapted to be opened at will.

For full comprehension, however, of my invention reference must be had to the accompanying drawings in which similar ref erence characters indicate the same parts and wherein:

1926. Serial No. 119,516.

Figure 1 is frigerator for my invention;

Figure 2 is. a detail longitudinal vertical section of my improved freezing and chilling element;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 Figure 2; and

Figure 4 illustrates in detail the means for temporarily holding open the door ofthe freezing chamber.

The narrow enclosing space of my element preferably consists of a .pair of elliptic cast iron pipes 'b and 0 respectively set one within the other as indicated in Figure 3. i It will be noted that the enclosing space d between these elliptic members is relatively narrow and the chamber 0 within the element is pro portionately of large capacity. It will also be seen by reference to this figure that the space is continuous and surrounds the element without interruption, thus permitting a free circulation of the freezing fluid. Fluid is admitted to this circulating chamber by a pipe 9 leading from a small float valve controller h which is fed by a pipe 13 from the condenser, not shown. The gas produced by the expansion of the freezing liquid is discharged from the element a perspective view of a redomestic use equipped with through pipe y to return to the compressor.

One end of the element is closed by an annular cap 0 with its center closed by an integral -web 10 This cap is secured in place by welding or otherwise fitted over the open end of the enclosing chamber 03 and is thus sealed in place. The opposite end of the element, which is the front, when in place in the refrigerator, is closed by a door 7. This front end of the element is slightly inclined forwardly from the top to the bottom to provide a sloping'face on which the door rests. the door having a hinged knuckle m which is hinged between a pair of fixed hinge knuckles 1?. cast or otherwise rigidly attached to the outer surface of the element. The door has a handle 0. The inner member 'b of the element has a series of pairs of ledges 50, q and 1" respectively to support a series of sliding shelves 8, t and u respectively. The element is supported on apair of feet 4) having lugs to through straddling a base projection :12 cast on the bottom of the element. This base and these lugs serve to prevent lateral displacement of the element.

When the element is in use in a refrigerator, as shown in Figure 1, it practically fills the enclosing space (1, containing as it does,

a liquid freezing mixture and being connected directly to the supply of freezing liquid and also bein adapted for free circulation of the liqui need be of only relatively small dimensions.

A refrigerator equipped with my freezing element provides a freezing chamber of 'maximum dimensions and at the same time maintains a uniform temperature in the freezing chamber and also in the refrigerator for chilling purposes. My improved freezing member is particularly adapted for restoring a chilled atmosphere to a refrigerator after it has been left open for some time, for washing out for instance, or when the refrigerator has been out of use for some time and the element out off. The door f of the element may then be opened slightly as indicated in Figure 3 and the refrigerator door closed. When the element is operated under these circumstances the atmosphere of the refrigerator will be put into rapid circulation and the interior of the freezing chamber, being open will be active in promptly reducing the temperature to any point desired.

A latch 10 pivoted near the front of the top of the interior is adapted to be turned to a position to temporarily hold the door slightly open as shown in Figure 3 when it is desired to promptly lower the temperature of the atmosphere in the refrigerator.

What I claim is as follows:

1. In a refrigerator having an ice compartment and a refrigerating compartment in communication therewith, a door for the refrigerator, a freezing element located within the ice compartment and substantially filling the same and spaced from the wall of the compartment for circulation of the atmos here of the refrigerator, the element enclosmg a. relatively large freezing chammeans for holding the door open, and a pair of supporting feet for the element.

25A refrigerator for domestic use such as claimed in claim 1, the door of the freezing element of which has a hinged knuckle at its top for engagement. in hinged relation with a pair or hinge knuckles formed integrally with the top of the element, and the open side of such element presenting an inclined face for the door to rest upon.

3. A refrigerator for domestic use such as claimed in claim 1, the door of the freezing element of which has a hinged knuckle at its top for engagement in hinged relation with a pair of hinge knuckles formed integrally with the top of the element, and the open side of such element presenting an inclined face for the door to rest upon, and a latch pivoted near the front of the top of the interior of the element for the purpose of temporarily holding the door open.

4. A domestic refrigerator having a compartment. for a freezing element and a plurality of compartments for substances to be preserved by the chilling influence from the freezing compartment, a freezing element in the freezing compartment and consisting of nested concentric cast iron pipes of elliptic cross-section, means closing the opposite ends of the space between the pipes, a fixed closure for one end of the element, a door controlling the opposite end of the element, means supporting the element on the floor of the freezing con'ipartment, a freezing liquid supplied to the; bottom ofthe space between the pipes, an outlet for the gas from the top of the said space, and a controller for regulating the level of freezing liquid in the said space.

In testimony whereof I have signed my,

name to this specification.

- CARL W. VOLLMAN N 

